Essayer OR - Gratuit
ANNECY
France
|September 2020
Jan Mitchell enjoys a waterside wander through the Venice of the Alps

The early summer sunshine was warm on my back as I leaned on the cool stone bridge of Pont de la Halle. Beneath my feet flowed the River Thiou, framed by clusters of vividly coloured, fragrant blooms, tumbling towards its waters.
My gaze was focused on the delightful Savoyard jewel of Annecy. At first glance, this capital of Haute-Savoie certainly does not disappoint. It truly is an ancient town, its name deriving from the Roman Villa Aniciaca. Nestling at an altitude of 447 metres in the French Alps, it sits at the northern tip of Lake Annecy, 35km south of Geneva. A famous former resident was the 18th-century writer and philosopher, Jean Jacques Rousseau, born in nearby Geneva.
Time for tea
Sauntering along the Quai Perrière, home to plentiful restaurants, I succumbed to temptation and slipped into the welcome shade of the next lively eatery that I encounter. Following a recommendation from a friendly waiter, I enjoyed an excellent local white wine, Chignin-Bergeron, cru of the Vin de Savoie appellation. I opted for the tartiflette, a simple dish of potatoes, onions, lardons and Reblochon – a delicious complement to my wine.
With little persuasion, I rounded off my lunch with some Gâteau de Savoie, which even has its own legend, I was told. It was invented in 1358 at Chambéry when Charles IV of Luxembourg visited the Count of Savoy, Amadeus VI. To win over his sovereign, Amadeus asked his chef to prepare a cake as light as a feather. I can testify that the result is a truly wonderful fat-free dessert.
Cette histoire est tirée de l'édition September 2020 de France.
Abonnez-vous à Magzter GOLD pour accéder à des milliers d'histoires premium sélectionnées et à plus de 9 000 magazines et journaux.
Déjà abonné ? Se connecter
PLUS D'HISTOIRES DE France

France
Paindemic In Paris
For American actor and writer Alexander Burnett, a shortage of bread at his local boulangerie was one of the biggest challenges of lockdown in his adopted home city
5 mins
December 2020

France
VEULES-LES-ROSES
Between the white cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre and the bucolic landscapes of the Pays de Caux, discover a village that combines coast and country,
4 mins
December 2020

France
Taking the BISCUIT
France is known for its exquisite pâtisserie and extravagant gâteaux but the not-so-humble biscuit deserves recognition too
5 mins
December 2020

France
PICTURE PERFECT PISTE
After a decade away from the slopes Janet Brice finds her ski legs in val d'arly, a hidden gem in the shadow of Mount Blanc
8 mins
December 2020

France
Let there BE LIGHT
Lyon’s annual Fête des Lumières brightens up the darkest of December nights in spectacular fashion, finds David Atkinson on a winter visit to the Rhône capital
4 mins
December 2020

France
Shop ‘til YOU DROP
In the first of our new Insight guides, Helen Parkinson delights in the French shopping experience
4 mins
December 2020

France
Floating YOUR BOAT
Spending a day on the River Seine in Paris, Heidi Fuller-love samples some of the city’s top entertainment that can be enjoyed afloat
6 mins
December 2020

France
Creamy Dijon Chicken With Bacon And Spinach
Enjoy this hearty dish from Bisous & Brioche, a cookbook shot on location in Burgundy
2 mins
November 2020

France
A Moveable Feast
Philip Sweeney embarks on a voyage gourmand along the Vallée de la Gastronomie travelling from Dijon to Marseille
4 mins
November 2020

France
BOND RETOUR 7
To celebrate the return of everyone’s favourite globe-trotting British intelligence officer in No Time to Die, Helen Parkinson rounds up five of James Bond’s top cross-Channel escapades
2 mins
November 2020
Translate
Change font size